Container and discharge valve therefor



1954 E- c. SKOUSGAARD CONTAINER AND DISCHARGE VALVE THEREFOR 3 on l vFiled March 14, 1950 5 mm mm INVENTOR ELMER 'c. SKOUSGAARD Patented Jan.19, 1954 CONTAINER AND DISCHARGE VALVE THEREFOR Elmer G. Skousgaard, LosAngeles Calif. 4 Application March 14, 1950, Serial No. 149,537

6 Claims.

The present invention is 'a continuation-in-part of my co-pending patentapplication, Serial Number 6,390, filed February 5, 1948, now abandoned,and relates generally to pressure vessels and containers for pressurizedliquefied gases, more particularly liquefied petroleum gases and to animproved discharge valve therefor. It relates more particularly to animproved portable gas holding cartridge container and discharge valve,such as may be employed as a gas supply container in conjunction with ahand torch, Lportable stove and the like. It should be noted that thegeneric form of the present invention including a hollow casing, meansfor fillingthe casing with a liquefied, pressurized gas, outlet ineansconnecting the interior of the casing with the exterior thereof,controllable valve means arranged to control flow through the outletmeans, and pressure reducing means positioned within the outlet meanswhereby when the controllable valve means is open :the pressurizedliquefied gases will be forced through the pressure reducing means intheoutlet means and will be virtually, completely vaporized, is morecompletely described, illustrated and claimed in my co-pending patentapplication, Serial Number 149,538, filed March 14, 1950.

Propane, butane and similar gases are transported in liquid form underpressure, but they quickly vaporize upon release of pressure. Theconventional cartridge for liquefied petroleum gases has an opening in.its bottom, through which the cartridge may be filled, and a centrallydisposed outlet tube through which the gas may be discharged. Because'ofthe location of the outlet tube, the conventional cartridge can befilled at most to slightly less than fifty percent of capacity. Afurther disadvantage of conventional cartridges, is that: the liquefiedgas in the outlet tube isllkelyf to freeze inqoperation, preventingsupply of the gas as required.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an improvedcartridge for liquefied petroleum gases which can be filled initially toa much greaterpercentage of volumetric capacity than can conventionalcartridges. I 6

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved cartridge forliquefied petroleum gases which is constructed so that the likelihood 01the outlet duct being frozen is negligible.

Another object of the invention is to :provide an improved cartridge forliquid petroleum gases h'avih'g a -simple control for governing thesupply df'ga's from the 'cartridge to a torch, burner;

o'r bth'er device withnihich the cartridge .is vused. 55

Other objects of the invention will be apparent hereinafter from thespecification and from the recital of the appended claims.

Fig. l is a side elevation, partly broken away, of a container orcartridge made according to one embodiment of this invention.-

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view on a greatly enlarged scale, showing thefront or discharge end of the cartridge and its control valve.

Fig. 3 is a section on theline 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking in the directionof the arrows.

Fig. 4 is an elevation showing on a much reduced scale a cartridgefitted to and forming part of a hand torch.

Referring now to the drawings by numerals of reference, I0 denotes thecartridge cylinder or casing. Threaded into a central opening in thebottom end wall of this casing is a valve nipple l2. This nipple has acentral port I3 in it which is adapted to be closed by a ball checkvalve l5 that is normally spring pressed into closed position by thecoil spring I6. The spring I 6 is interposed between the ball I5 and anut I! that threads adjustably into the inner end of the nipple. The nutIT has a central bore [8 through which liquid may flow into the body ofthe cylinder in when the ball valve l5 is open.

A plug 20, that threads into a recess 2 I, formed in the outer end ofthe nipple l2, serves nor mally to seal the bottom of the casing. Whenthis plug is removed from the casing, liquid propane or butane can,however, be pumped into the casing to fill the cartridge, the ball checkvalve opening under-pressure and the liquid gas flowing through therecess 2|, port l3, open valve I 5 and the duct [8 into the casing. Ifdesired, the filling nozzle may be threaded into the nipple l2 in placeof the plug during the filling operation. Y a

Welded or otherwise suitably secured in a central opening in the top endof the casing is a collar 25. This collar supports a sleeve26 to whichis secured a nipple 21.

Adjustably threaded into a central bore 48 in the sleeve 26 is a valvemember 30. This valve member has a conical nose 3| which constitutes thevalve proper and which is adapted to seat in a port 32 that is drilledcentrallyin the sleeve and which is adapted to communicate with bore 48.The valve comprising nose 3| and port 32 controls the rate of dischargeof gas from the cartridge.

The liquid gas is delivered to the port 32 by a tube 35 whose front orupper end is secured by a press-fit, or in any other suitable manner,centrally in the nipple 21. This tube is formed to provide a tortuousroute for the passage of the liquid gas therethrough. It has a portion36 which is bent away from the center of the cylin- 5 der to one side ofthe cylinder. The portion 36 communicates with another portion 31 of thetube which is bent back toward the center of the cylinder again. Theportion 31; ini'turn; ;is com, nected by aloop 38 with aparallelinclin'ed por tion 39 that extends to the opposite side of thecylinder from the portion 36 of the tube. The tube is bent beyond theportion 39 into 'aipluralitye v of loops 40 and it terminates in aninlet portions:- 4| which extends parallel to the axis of the car- 5tridge but is offset from the axis of-thecart'ridge close to one side ofthe cylinder, v V I The liquid gas passing through the tube 35 1sdelivered from the tube 35 into duct in-the nipple 21. Thence it passesinto a filter chamber 20 formed in the sleeverfleiwhichccontains:perm'eable filter means 4$;Iwhich :may consistraofz ieltg; fabric orany suitable3permeable.tcoarsesmateriali havin'g 'a *sufficientpercentage of: ivoidsf: to allow the gas contained zwi-thinc thecasings! 0 :to passtherethrough. The filter meansillfi iacts 'tozbothifilterigas passing therethrough and to ..:drop,;the pressure thereof inamannervfacilitating jcomi-r. plete vaporiz'ation thereofu Thisisialso-taidewby the=restricted*ports. Th p011T3Z' in the sleeve 26communicateswith this expansidn :chamben As alreadystatedftheportMzcommuni catestwith the bore 48 bf sleeve :2 6whichconstituteseanothen expansion chamber.

From the chamber 48' I the gas flowsrthrough anangled, smaller*diaineterduct 49, that is drilled into valve membr- 3U alongside :the :base' of"the 'nose 3 l-, into" an elongated: duct 5n 'drilled centrally in'thevalvemember 3fli A rod or bar 5| is mounted in this ducts Thediameter otthis rod orbar is slightly le'ss-thamtlie internal diam eterofthe hole50- so'- that-'=-the gas-may flow around the I outside -of the rodbetween the-rod and the inside surface-*of thehole- 501 Frbm'the hole50' the gas flows intoa chamber 620i formed 4 in'the member 62 which'isthreadedly engaged within'a chamber 53 formed in the'enlarged -h'ead 54'non-integrally carried by the valve member 301* The chamber 62 acontains -anl OJrin'g- BZ adapted to sealinglyponnect the borefiflandthe 50 chamber 62a and to effectively mechanically con: nect the head54' and 'the valve member 30 3 The head "54has 3a= knurledperipheral"surface means of V whichit may be manually gripped forrotating -the valve member'tfl to open or close or to adjustthe valve '312- The'knurledhead-"M is; internally. threaded to receivethe-"externally threaded member 62' or-a-pipe orany other con ductingmeansfo'r supplying-the gas to the stove. torch, or. other unit,iwithwhich the partridgeis tobeusedr Inth'e drawing,; the cartridgeisshowniasform' ing 'part' of a portable burner; the burner head beingdenoted at in Figs l. 'lhisihead is' con nected by. a supplytube'filwith abody" member 62 which threads into the chamber 53- in the valvehead .54.; The tube 6 lthreadsinto 'an angularly' disposed socket, fi3lfo'rmedwinthis' body member; and this socket, is connected ,with a.Jcentra-I 'duct 65. Whenthe body membei fil is threaded-into the.chamber "53','the duct65 communicates with the chamber SZa-and "the bore50 The -body member 62 is provided with a lug or thumb piece get oneside" by means"of-which. it -may be-roed? v V To prevent leakage of thegas along the valve 30 and to insure that it follows the desired routethrough the valve stem, sealing members are provided at critical points.Thus, an O-ring seal 10, made of rubber or neoprene, is mounted in aperipheral recess H in the valve 30 to engage the inside wall of therecess or counterbore 12 which is formed in the upper end of the sleeve26. Also thereisimountedain mamas 25,abovie the sleeve 26; a"supporting"membr"15 which surrounds valve member 30 and which carries ina peripheral recess an O-ring 16. This O-ring is interposedubetweemnember I3 and collar 25 and is adapted to seat against the top face ofsleeve memberZB, Also mounted in a recess orcounterbore!Tbfthesupporting member 75 around the 'valveistem1'30,.-is=,another O-ring 18. A jam nut 19, which threads into thebore of the collar 2'5iserves to squeeze this O-ring between the member15 and the periphery of the valve member-;3 u iseiasetorprevent zleakagezalongithe outside ofzthe valyle sniemberiiimiandzalsoiserves to jamithe. ao-ring. J fiia'gainst hegtopc-or front faces-of: thesleevedfigtoprevent'rleakage:aroundthe .out-' SidBEzOf theimembemfl 5:2 The:threepsealinglrings 10 2 1 6 z and :1 8:1 ,ther-efcrel-r-sinsure thatIthezliquid: gas -.will .notvzescapeiaroundflalve Tmember v 30 orcolla'rtrfiit Insariditionito =this2seal-inggunctiomithe ="O'-"ring;BZactsato lclamp athecbodyamemberifiz; the head- 5du'and 'ztheivalxiememberzfi lmogether i when: thebodymembemiszfullyithieadedainto;the:chambera 53 imthe1headr5k Whenvthis:isiclone the bodyi membem62 gztherhead '.5 t.=innd=..walve member$30 willirotatei togetheraiwhemthezthiimb rpiec est 6. is:pressedtirotatablyrtdsadiusirrthe ropeningu of" the va'lveimember MumBecauseithieinletkendaot thlertube 35: is disposed toioneside zofirthementraiiz-planewfvthe cylinder I fl'pthe:icylinder'xsanzbe filled:tormore thamfifty percentao icapacit I .Inzfactvdnipracticegitihasbeenioundipossibl cylinderszupztofeighty four pena'centeotrcapacityiwithmompletesafety;

Themartridgenlfleis placedronnitssside'zas shown inFig???1;withitheeinlwend .3 bffithe tubesabove thexifilli'ng sport:ainl'zthe sbottomroi the; cartridge;- the plug 20 is .rirnoved;rj;and:'2the;:liuuid gas is pumpedi intodzhe castridgezi 0;tOz-fil'lihfi-CMtlfidge up -to a point: WhBIGZtfiGQli-QllidlESISijllStbegins to, seep outrnf mhe zduciz;501\:through ,;open;valve-3 l'.- Asteel cartridgexcan readilygbe 'madertoptakethe pressure so:'builtziipiiin ztheicasinglwithout-Shaving tdimakerits;wallstexcessivelysthielm This: means that iazcartridger o asgiyemjsizewmade; according to' athis invention williihavem ncapacity' approxiemate'lyi"seventytzpercentcgreater,than:a-bartridge of conventionalcon'structionot thesame size: A mark imaytbeiplalced=omtheioutside-ofthe cylinder so astto insurezthatiteisi'fiiiedsw-ithithe inlet-end dt cf thetube sriaipz'asshbwninFiei-rl V Anotherfeature on1the constructiomiofi;this inventionis thatit eliininatesagreatmany possibi'lities, of ithemnit freezinglip. The 113100133 40 and 'SBinithe tube *35 help-prevent freezings Inaddition, the "liquid "gas mu st al-so pass through restricting,pressuremeducing 'means (including filter-.meansifiijbetweentheinlet endIt I- of tube liquid rgasepasses fromlthestub'e 35iintdiai a rowduct-A5,Ithen.intonthei relaltivelivlar enchambercontainingpfilter-meansldfithensintolthenarrow port. 32;whoseaoutletutopening"isicontrolled by valve r 3 l ,r then intoerelatively large. chamber A8, then; wrangle-narrow hucts fiilsanesfifli to-gels.

. 5 tively large chamber 6 2'a.-' This 'vaporizes' the liquid. 7

After a cartridge has been filled to capacity,

the valve 3! is closed by threading valve member 30 down in sleeve 26until the valve seats tightly in port 32. The valve member can bemanipulated by grasping knurled head 54. The filled cartridge acts as astorage tank for the liquid gas and the gas can be safely transported init or stored until ready for use.

To use the cartridge it is simply coupled to the pipe or duct that leadsto the torch, heater, stove, or other device in which the gas is to beconsumed. The restrictive, pressure reducing means in the system willconvert liquid to gas as required by the burner.

When the cartridge is used with a burner in the form of a torch, such.as shown in Fig. 4, the body member 62 is tightly threaded into theknurled head 54 so that body member 62, the.

knurled head 54, and the valve member 3E, will rotate together when thebody member is rotated. After opening valve 3! by pressing on thumbpiece 66, the burner can be lighted. Slight pressure in either directionon thumb piece E6 then easily and closely controls the how of gas in thetorch and the size of the flame, or permits the gas to be shut offentirely.

The rod BI is used because it is much easier to drill a large diameterhole 50 than a small diameter hole, and because by suitable selection ofthe diameter of the red the dimension of the duct formed between the rodand bore 59 can be controlled much more precisely and easily than if asmall diameter duct only were drilled. Rod 5! may be provided with abend or with teats (not shown) to hold it centered in the bore 5|] andso that it will not fallout.

If the valve gets stuck or dirt gets into the valve seat or if the valvehas to be removed for any reason, the removal of the jam nut 19 permitsthe whole assemblage of sleeve 26, collar F5 and valve member 38 to belifted out of the casing and replaced, which is a great convenience.

While the invention has been described in connection with a specificembodiment thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of furthermodification and this application is intended to cover any variations,uses, or adaptations of the invention, following, in general, theprinciples of the invention and including such departures from thepresent disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the artto which the invention pertains and as may be applied to the essentialfeatures hereinbefore set forth and as fall within the scope of theinvention or the limits of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cartridge container for liquefied petroleum gases and the like,comprising: a hollow casing; a sleeve mounted in said casing, saidsleeve having a valve port in its inner end through which gas may passout of the casing; a cylindrical valve member adjustably threaded intothe sleeve to control the opening of said valve port; a resilientsealing member between the valve and the sleeve; a sealing ringsurrounding the valve member and carrying two resilient sealing memberspositioned respectively to prevent escape of gas between the sleeve andthe casing and between the valve member and the ring, and a nutremovably threaded into the casing to force said two last named sealingmembers into operative positions; communicating means connecting thevalve port with them-- terior oi the'casing; and flow restricting,pressure reducing means in the communicating means.

2. A cartridge container for liquefied petroleum gases and the like,comprising: a hollow casing; a sleeve member mounted in said casing; anipple secured in one end of said sleeve member; a tube connected tosaid nipple for conducting gas from the interior of said casing to thenipple, said nipple having a port extending through it whichcommunicates at one end with the tube and is of smaller diameter thanthe interior diameter of the tube; said sleeve also having a chamberformed therein communicating with the other end of said port and ofconsiderably greater diameter than said port; flow restricting, pressurereducing filter means positioned in said chamber; said sleeve having aport therein leading from said chamber, said second port connecting saidchamber with a second chamber formed in the sleeve; a valve memberthreaded into the second chamber and having a valve portion seating insaid second port to control discharge of the gas from said casing; saidvalve member having a central outlet bore formed therein; and a ductformed in said valve member at one side of said valve portion to connectsaid second chamber with said bore, said duct being of smaller diameterthan said second chamber.

3. A cartridge container for liquefied petroleum gases and the like,comprising: a hollow casing; a sleeve member mounted in said casing; anipple secured in one end of said sleeve member; a tube connected tosaid nipple for conducting gas from the interior of said casing to thenipple, said nipple having a port extending through it whichcommunicates at one end with the tube and is of smaller diameter thanthe interior diameter of the tube; said sleeve also having a chamberformed therein communicating with the other end of said port and ofconsiderably greater diameter than said port, flow restricting, pressurereducing filter means in said chamber; said sleeve having a port thereinleading from said chamber and of smaller diameter than said chamber,said second port connecting said chamber with a second chamber formed inthe sleeve and of larger diameter than the second port; a valve memberthreaded into the second chamber and having a valve portion seating insaid second port to control discharge of the gas from said casing, saidvalve member having a central outlet bore formed therein; and a ductformed in said valve member on one side of said valve portion tocommunicate said second chamber with said bore, said duct being ofsmaller diameter than said second chamber; said tube having an inlet endat one side of the center line of said casing.

4;. A cartridge container for liquefied petroleum gases, including asupporting member mounted therein provided with a central port fordischarge of gas from within said container; a valve member rotatablythreaded into said supporting member and having a valve portion formedintegral therewith which seats in said port and controls the openingthereof, said valve member being longitudinally bored and having a ductformed therein at oneside of the valve portion to conduct gas from saidport to said bore; a coupling member threaded into said valve memher forconnecting said bore with the apparatus in which the gas is to beconsumed, said coupling having a manipulating lug thereon whereby itmambefirota tecwsaid EwummQmEmbenhaVingQ-a ductsdahenethr'mzghlthl'OUgQzWhiCh; the; egass flow-ifmrmthexborewofi the valvemember-vmosa-ide gas consuming apparatus; chamber means in the.

supportingzmembem in :commun-ication with :the

portimeans andi permeable =fi1-ter means. carried-1 in n the: chamber:meansun'dera'a selectedscomprese sion-u such:v that virtually ali1iquefied. Y petroleum gases passing therethrough twili-,bevirtualiy-eomvi pletelyavaporizedzm 5. A devicer'ofithei characterdefined in :claimA; l, including: means interposed betweenthe coupling;member: andinthe. evalveflnember iota-resiliently clamping the couplingmembento thervalve meme-3 berso. that 1the two rotate-togethe1z.;.

6. -:A cartridge; containenforiliquefiedepetroleum f gases comprising aryIindricalcasing havingea centraL.-port-- imits base; through whichliquidv gas maybe supplied. tokthe casing; means for; closing z;

said port; a 1supporting:gmembemdisposed-ssen-s trallyi in the: other 1end: ofethe v casing; andzhavingw. a port through which gas-maylee-discharged from:- within *said casing-e 1a evalve\-member-rotatab1-y.;- threaded-into saidsuppontingmembersand havingq avalveportion-adapted ito 'iseati in' said port; a

duct 'extend'inguaxially oit'rsaid valve-member a duet at'oneisidefofi-said val-xemember-connecting: the first named duct withsaid port; angina? knurled-head fomnedrnonvsaid valve-member :externaily oftsaidacasinga for: manipulationaofiasai a valve member;chamber meansin theesupporting-u memberv inecommunication ;with :theportmeans-e andi permeable filter means i carried in the cham-li ber meansunden-a selected compression such that virtually {2111i liquefiedpetroleumwgases massing; therethrough fromwwithin the winterior-ofwth.--r casings-will be-.virtua1ly completely. vaporizeddELMERZCuSKQUSG-AARDE.

References citeaim'thefil'e 0f thispatent Number Number-= UNI-TEDVSTATES PATENTS i

